Revenge of the Ravens
by Secret-Ninja1
Summary: The Karasuno Mafia have lost their reputation and pride among their rivals but the arrival of four genius college students may turn their luck around.
1. Chapter 1

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"There's no room for argument. We have to get our pride back."

"They're still college students-"

"We have no choice." A figure rose from the cushioned chair behind the desk, his masked eyes trained on the computer screen just beside him. Four separate videos, four separate people, all being watched. The light from the screen was the only thing that brought life to the person operating it as the rest of the room was darkened. "If we want to succeed, we must take action."

It was quiet before a voice answered. "Yes, sir." Footsteps followed until the door was opened, the man walking out in silence.

A young man sat down at an empty table inside a local café, a laptop opened in front of him. His frame suggested a lack of muscle and the slight bags under his eyes made him look older than twenty-three. His lips were placed in an almost permanent scowl, his glasses reflecting the subject that was on screen: a large, detailed blueprint of the building just across from his current location. People walked by him, unaware of what he was planning. A Bluetooth was hooked into his ear, the voice on the other end giving him much needed information.

"I see three cameras by the front entrance and two near the vault. The security guard makes his round every hour until nine, which is when the night guard comes. Our best bet is to sneak in then." Another man spoke to his ear piece, clad in a green hoodie, a T-shirt, and beige pants. The most outstanding feature was his freckles, which were hardly visible unless seen close-up. He was seated in one of the waiting chairs around the spacious lobby, alone except for a boy with bouncy orange curls seated just a few rows behind. It wasn't until the boy left to go elsewhere did the watcher breathe a sigh of relief.

The blond man only nodded from his location, his fingers tapping swiftly over the keyboard in a fluid motion. "Good, that's what I needed." His eyes scanned his computer screen before his accomplice muttered something else.

"There's someone on the roof."

His fingers halted their motion for a second, throwing off the rhythmic tapping before he settled them over the keys again. "What?"

The man with freckles slowly stood from his seat, inching away from the window where he had spotted a black figure kneeling on top of a nearby building's roof. "Do you think-"

"No. Not a chance." The hacker, despite his answer, only typed faster, eager to get the job done and leave before they were possibly found out. "Meet me here, I'm almost finished." He heard a weak reply before a heavy silence fell. As worried as he was for his friend, he was just a few seconds away from completing his mission. He hurriedly typed the last line of code and was about to hit enter when an explosion sounded, his fingers smashing into the wrong keys and destroying all of his hard work in an instant.

Shattered glass and debris rained over the pavement across the street from the blond's position, his body ducking down onto the ground out of pure instinct as people in the café screamed and rushed towards the exit, some of them on their phones already alerting the police.

His Bluetooth had relayed the sound on the other end, the muffled blast sounding like a mix of a malfunctioning computer and static. He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in his knee before turning his head to see the blooming smoke from the building spread out and clear until he could spot the ruined entrance of the bank.

He began to panic, his mind racing along with the sickening questions that pounded his head with growing terror.

Had his friend made it out alive?

Was he injured?

Was he buried underneath the rubble before he could escape in time?

The longer he thought, the more his palms turned clammy and he suddenly felt the overwhelming need to vomit. He took shallow breaths, squeezing his eyes shut and keeping himself from hyperventilating. He could feel the rapid beat of his heart, like it was slamming into his ribcage. Damn, he felt like his throat was going to close up.

He swallowed heavily, breathing out once before he shut his laptop and shoved it into his bag, rushing out of the shop before jogging over to the wreckage. Police cars were already swarming the place, an ambulance stopping just short of the man as his shoes made contact with the crumbling sidewalk.

Some people were limping out of the mess, their limbs bloody and others were being carried by the lesser injured. His head whipped around frantically, searching for any sign of his friend before a heavy hand was clasped over his shoulder. He turned quickly and stumbled back, his eyes focusing at the pair of familiar brown eyes staring at him with a look of exhaustion.

"I didn't know if you already left or not," the freckled man said, the side of his cheek decorated with dust from the earlier blast.

The other searched his body for any signs of blood or bruises, finding nothing, much to his relief. He turned his attention to his partner's clenched hand, lifting it up and uncurling his fingers to find the shattered pieces of his Bluetooth buried in his palm.

"Sorry, it sort of broke when I-"

The shorter of the two was cut off by a sudden embrace. He could feel that his friend was sweaty and his breath was a bit shaky but the hug was something that would have been welcomed if it were under normal circumstances. They certainly weren't out of place: others were hugging and crying together, running to their loved ones and holding them close after witnessing the accident.

"Don't apologize, stupid." The hacker muttered quietly, slipping his hands away and standing up straight after he adjusted his glasses. He seemed under control now, taking those few precious moments to collect his conscious and revert back to his default expression. "Now that our job is gone in the rubble, I think we should get out of here before we possibly draw attention to ourselves."

He nodded in agreement, dropping the broken pieces of his device into his pocket and casting a glance at the short boy from earlier covered in dirt who was explaining his story to the police with tears running down his face. His arms were waving about animatedly, telling the men in uniform about the explosion before he hiccupped and let out a sob.

He looked over at the neighboring building next to the bank, staring up at the roof. It was void of movement, save for a raven perched silently on the edge, its wings spread out motionlessly under the sun. The figure from before was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Warm fingers cleaned off smudges of dirt from soft cheeks, run-down fingernails scrubbing lines along the expanse of skin to clean the remaining mess off. There was a splash of water and the skin was dried on a nearby towel, the student in the mirror flashing a smile to himself with a satisfied glint in his eyes.

Hinata Shouyou.

He was a twenty-three year old college student with bouncy bright colored hair and a personality to match. His below-average height and child-like face had earned him some recognition among his fellow classmates as an energetic and optimistic student.

There was a pause in his momentum as a familiar buzz came from the phone in his pocket, the young man drying his hands off on a nearby towel before reaching to retrieve the hand-held device. He swiped his thumb to unlock it, the screen lighting up to a picture of a baby bird nestled into a bundle of twigs and leaves. A red notification bubble appeared over the mail icon, the student selecting it with curiosity. Was it something from one of his professors? Surely not, since he already had several assignments to work on before the end of the month.

The email opened and revealed a message sent from one of his teachers, alerting him of a change in classroom scenery. His class was to be taken place at a nearby building just a few miles from the subway station. Apparently, his psychology class had relocated for the week in order to provide him and his classmates a change of environment for an upcoming experiment. It was short notice, but Hinata didn't have that class for another three hours, so it was perfectly fine for him.

The ride had only taken ten minutes and Hinata was already restless when he exited the train. The lack of people in the subway made it seem larger than it really was, his footsteps echoing along the stained gray corridors as he made his way outside. His phone lit up with directions to his class, the student following the blue trail for another five minutes until he came across a warehouse.

A large truck was parked beside the entrance, which looked similar to a garage door. The building was orange in color, the sun shining over it made it almost too blinding to stare at. Hinata's eyes were directed to three figures in front of the door, their dark clothing a contrast to the bright setting.

They were probably waiting for the class just like him, and they were most likely locked out or just loitering around the entrance instead of attending the class. On closer inspection, he found that they were not his classmates at all, and one happened to look all too familiar.

"You!" Hinata pointed an accusing finger at one of them, his voice loud, disrupting the current conversation between the two others standing a few feet away. His presence was certainly known now, his booming introduction more than enough to cause their heads to turn. "You're that guy!"

The one in question made a full body turn, his hands shoved in his jacket pockets and his eyes sending a glare towards the guy pointing his finger. He didn't look very happy to be standing out in the middle of nowhere with two college students - now three - at a warehouse. Much less being pointed at in a very obnoxious way by someone with very wildly colored hair. "Excuse me?"

The two taller people beside him were watching with mild amusement off to the side and away from the commotion. They were waiting just as he was, but they didn't look like they were friends with him.

Hinata clicked his tongue, taking another bold step forward at the student's ignorance. "Don't play dumb," he crossed his arms, trying to look more threatening once he realized that all three of them towered over him with ease. He didn't back down though, not when he had a score to settle. "I know you did that on purpose, so don't pretend like you don't know!"

The other raised an eyebrow, his scowl deepening by the seemingly unwarranted shouting. This kid seriously wanted to make a scene in the middle of nowhere? "Shut up, you fucking-"

A solid punch to the face promptly forced his own mouth shut, the man stumbling back from the impact. He grimaced, reaching to touch the tender spot on his chin where the blow landed. It stung slightly, but he could feel a possible bruise forming already. This is just what he needed, a nice red mark on his face.

This kid had a death wish.

He stood straight again, dropping his hand and reaching out to grip Hinata's shirt, pulling him up and making him squirm in his hold. "Listen brat, unless you want to choke on your own entrails, I suggest you get lost before the cops find your body mauled on the side of the road. Got it?"

Hinata's hands clamped around his wrist and tried to pull free, but to no avail. He kicked his legs, but they only managed to scuff the dirt under him and hit a few stray pebbles that rolled away towards the car nearby. He grunted, tossing his head to the side and struggling to break out of his hold. "Don't call me a brat, you prick." He gasped when he felt him yank, the collar of his shirt almost digging into his neck. His eyes followed the man's fingers as they curled into a fist, his arm raising to strike him in the nose just before their brawl was interrupted.

The door to the warehouse was slammed open, the noise causing the black-haired man to flinch and drop Hinata, his other arm lowering to his side as he turned to find the source of the sound. The open door revealed another man, older than any of them, leaning against the frame of the warehouse with a frown and a cigarette between his lips. He had a muscular build and blond hair, his hands on his hips as he assessed the scene before him. He reached for the cigarette in his mouth, pulling it out before blowing a puff of smoke.

"Do you two have any idea how much noise you're making?" He stood straight and waved his hand around him, motioning towards the outside, causing the smoke to waft around the air. "If you're going to kill each other, do it elsewhere." His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were repulsed by the idea of the two of them fighting on his property.

"We were told to meet up here by someone," the tallest one said, his hands stuffed in his pockets, a pair of headphones placed around his neck. He stood beside another student, one with freckles and dark green hair, his eyes looking over towards Hinata with a strange sense of recognition. He refused to leave the taller man's side though, like he was glued at his hip.

The older man grunted, taking another drag of his cigarette before dropping it on the ground, grinding the heel of his shoe over it to put it out. "Of course you were." He disappeared inside the warehouse, only to come back a minute later with a folded slip of paper in his hands. He waved them inside without a sound, taking another look around to make sure no one of suspicion was near enough to see them.

The four of them looked at each other, Hinata hesitantly standing from his seat in the dirt before brushing himself off. He was the first to walk inside, passing the man and allowing himself to be enveloped by the darkened room. He heard the others follow him not long after, their presence lingering behind his back before the door was shut and a hand was braced on his shoulder a moment later.

The lights seemed to flicker on at the motion, Hinata squinting his eyes from the sudden brightness. The whole place smelled like oil and cardboard, but the one scent that wouldn't leave him was the cigarette smoke that seemed to cling to the man beside him and burn his nostrils.

The room was entirely lit up, the ceiling bright from the rows and rows of lights that burned a yellowish hue throughout the building. His sight was attracted to the wall opposite of him, lined with different variations of guns that expanded until they stopped at the corner where the walls met each other. That section had a smaller room made of concrete barriers and a tinted window that cut across the smooth white block. It looked something like a large office or cubicle, only sketchier.

By that wall was a staircase that led to the metal platform surrounding the inside of the warehouse, creating a second floor that was decorated with posters and papers taped up, most of them covered with red marks, slashes, and circles. There were several closed doors up above, leading to other rooms or possible exits. Another office was set in the corner, that particular one made of steel, not concrete like the other one was.

On Hinata's left was the rest of the warehouse, crates and boxes stacked in random piles scattered across the floor that were labeled with cautions and warnings. A few barrels of oil were next to the cars parked against the bare wall, all of them colored either black or gray. There were two more doors on the first floor and a large, dusty window that distorted the view of outside.

Hinata turned to see the tall blond student approach the smoker, his glasses gleaming from the illumination of the building. His friend was near Hinata's self-proclaimed rival, his gaze still focused on him in an eerie way. "Tell us why we're really here." His command caught his attention once more, Hinata eying both of them with suspicion.

He did find their situation odd, wondering why his teacher had alerted him so suddenly of the change without anything mentioned beforehand. Then, finding the bitter Kageyama Tobio waiting for his class that he wasn't enrolled in only dampened his mood. Unless there was an honest misunderstanding, Hinata refused to continue playing along to whatever this was. He was growing more cautious by the second. He felt around for the item in his jacket pocket, his fingers running over the cold metal cylinder for reassurance. If he were caught up in any danger, he knew what to do.

The door to the warehouse was pulled open again, the students jumping in surprise before they were fixed on the men who came inside. The one in front was a man with unkempt black hair, dressed in a dark sweatshirt and pants. Behind him were two other males, one with white hair and the other one was bald, carrying a rather large gun in his hands.

"Sorry we're late," the one in front said, offering a sincere smile, "Our meeting took longer than we originally planned it to be." He looked aware of his company, but did nothing more than dismiss the smoker, allowing him to leave the warehouse by himself.

"So these are the newbies," the bald one nearly shouted, walking over to Hinata with a crooked grin, "and it looks like we scored ourselves Shorty, too!" He buried his hand into his orange hair roughly, messing up the disarray of locks even further. "I saw your performance earlier, kid. You've got some potential in you."

"That isn't much of a compliment, coming from you," the other said, joining his friend. He had an air of serenity around him and his kind eyes gave Hinata both a sense of trust for the man and an uncomfortable feeling of foreboding. The white-haired man only gave him a slight wave before he turned towards Kageyama. "We have quite a few talented newcomers this time around, wouldn't you agree, Daichi?"


	3. Chapter 3

Kageyama's eyes had widened, his stance defensive and his hands bunched into fists. He knew what this was: it was recruitment. He was no stranger to these, but his overwhelming sense of pride prevented him from becoming part of a group or organization. He worked for solo jobs and strayed from teamwork, choosing to be alone for his main source of income. He wasn't expecting to be hired by some unknown gang hiding out in a warehouse just outside his college. Their range of artillery were broad and just based off of their appearances they were sharp, but the hideout itself was rather unimpressive; meaning they were no large Mafia, though they were not a force to be trifled with.

He spared a glance at the man beside him, flickering his gaze to the orange haired idiot whose hands were in his pockets. The action was enough to raise his suspicions and keep his guard up. He was brought here too after all, so he had to have something up his sleeve should danger show its face. That left the other two to his left: lanky four-eyes and freckles. What were their skills?

His analysis was caught by said four-eyes, the blond sending him a rather irritated glare to counter the penetrating look. He was watching everyone just as he was, which came to no surprise. Something about his calculating stare was sending an unwelcomed shiver down his spine. They were cold, uninterested. Like the whole situation was just a simple inconvenience and a waste of time. How much experience did he have, exactly? Kageyama wasn't willing to find out anytime soon.

However, a sudden hand on his shoulder prevented him from turning around and leaving, the older man with white hair smiling at him like it was a simple greeting. "We've been keeping a close eye on you," he said, his smile only growing wider, "I've seen what you can do. You have incredible talent, Kageyama."

Baldy slapped the pipsqueak on the back, resulting in the shorter one stumbling forward slightly, only to stop himself before tripping. "He's right. We've been trailing you four around for a few months and we haven't been disappointed with the results." He waved his hand over to the man, Daichi, shifting the attention over towards him.

Daichi unfolded the slip of paper that he somehow managed to take from the smoker earlier, holding it out as he cleared his throat and read from it. "Gathering information was easy enough, but finding you boys was a different story. None of you affiliated with any organizations previous, so we couldn't gain any leads by means of public criminal records. However, searching for your birth certificates was simple and all we had to do was follow your academic trail until it brought us to you.

"Tsukishima Kei," he turned to face the gangly blond while his eyes never left the paper, "you have an overwhelming knowledge of technology and computer programming, making you able to hack into even the most remote systems. You did amazing work in Silicon Valley, giving us reason to believe in your skills which will make you a very useful asset to our team in the near future."

Daichi nodded over to the young man beside him, almost startling the other. "Yamaguchi Tadashi, your modest looks and personality have become a key skill of yours during your time with Tsukishima, allowing you to blend in with crowds and give you an advantage during infiltration missions." The comment seemed to both deflat and compliment the one in question. "We've also noticed that you share the ability to hack into heavily-guarded systems online. You and Tsukishima make an incredible team." Yamaguchi could only nod in mild embarrassment.

"Kageyama Tobio, newspaper articles claimed you as the lone survivor of a tragic house fire at age eleven. You were sent to multiple foster homes until you graduated high school. From what we managed to dig up, you've been hired for your skills in assassinations, often getting paid to take out the lesser known bosses of companies, casinos and other white-collared men. You're the only one of the four newbies here who has actually made a living for what you do, at least, in a conventional sense."

The paper crinkled in his hands when he looked over at the shortest one, the black-haired male sighing. "Hinata Shouyou, you happen to be the only one here with anything close to a criminal record. Your recklessness had almost cost you your identity on two separate accounts, not to mention your bright hair makes you easy to identify in any lineup. We've discovered your unusual and steady handle with explosives, making your role both a unique position and a secret weapon when needed. If my memory serves correctly, you're the one responsible for destroying the city's bank earlier this morning."

Hinata stiffened, his body looking similar to a threatened cat's. His back was bent forward only slightly, his knees spread apart and his feet tucked inward. He hadn't expected to be found out so early, if at all. He shouldn't feel panicked; they were criminals, too. That didn't stop him from clutching the piece of metal in his pocket harder, running his thumb over the smooth texture. If push came to shove at any time, he wouldn't hesitate in the slightest.

"I remember you now!" The exclamation came from none other than Yamaguchi, the student raising his finger to point at the bomber. He was standing just behind Tsukishima, who was sending a nasty glare straight at him. Malice laced every inch of his expression and Hinata worried for a moment if he really was planning to murder him on the spot. "I saw you at that same bank! You were crying to the police when we left, I remember!"

Kageyama was using an identical, bloodcurdling stare that chilled Hinata to the bone. His features were dark, his jaw locked in place with his eyes narrowed into slits. They were darkened, too, like they held nothing but the desire to kill and Hinata felt himself backing up one, two, three steps from the group unconsciously. His gaze was locked onto Kageyama's, like his eyes were created to trap its victims into a never ending cycle of unimaginable horrors. It was doing its job magnificently.

"You," he hissed out, venom dripping from his words, "I lost my job because of you."

Hinata felt another pat on the back from the bald man beside him, never daring to tear his eyes away from the source of his discomfort. "That's right! You sure turned on the waterworks in front of those cops earlier. You were so convincing, I almost fell for it!" He shouted his praise to Hinata as if he didn't even notice the atmosphere in the room.

Kageyama was quick on his feet, the outline of his body nothing but a blur to the shorter man as he was pulled forward by his shirt once more. He was looking back at dark blue eyes that were swimming in, what Hinata could only describe as, anger. The hand that was bunched in his shirt was warm and his knuckles were pressed into is collar bone. He felt Kageyama's breath hit his face like a gust of hot air, and he couldn't help but cry out helplessly. "My target was in that bank! I was fired because of you!" He yanked Hinata again for good measure, watching his head snap forward and lull back to its previous position like a lifeless doll. It gave him little satisfaction, but it helped ease his mind knowing that the short punk was scared motionless. "A whole month's worth of rent is gone with my pay because you wanted to blow up a bank _for fun_!"

The man was suddenly being pulled back by Daichi, Kageyama's hands loosening their grip until Hinata's shirt was freed and the student was able to back away another step. "Calm down," the words came from Daichi, his voice low and steady as he held Kageyama back, "We have a rule against fighting here. Settle your problems elsewhere, because right now it's essential that you pay attention."

Kageyama only yanked himself from his grasp, flashing another glare to Hinata before relaxing his shoulders and breathing out slowly. He had his nerves under control once more, but there was no guarantee that it would last long with Hinata nearby. His fingers tingled with an itching sensation, wanting to bury his fist in Hinata's face and see the brat's eye swell into a nice purple bruise.

He stared at the orange mop of hair and took a bit of time studying the rest of him, wondering why he would leave his hair in such disarray. On closer inspection with his other features, he found that he wasn't a kid at all. His real age was noticeable in the sharp curve of his jawline and the defined angle of his cheekbones. He still looked young enough to pass as a high schooler, but Kageyama could tell that he was some years older than that. In all honesty, he guessed that his height was the only thing that hadn't matured properly.

His examination was disturbed by Daichi clearing his throat, making himself the focus of interest instead. "As I mentioned before, the four of you have been under close scrutiny for three months and we've found your skills most impressive. Each of you have your strong points and each of you will be essential to our organization."

The white haired male stood beside him, his arms tucked behind his back. "We assure you that money will not be an issue," he directed his statement to Kageyama in particular; "You will not be handling any heavy jobs for the time being, either. You will be instructed by either Tanaka or I," his hand lifted and motioned towards the bald man to his left who held a cocky grin, "When Daichi is absent or busy, and most of your work will be simple errands or pick-ups. We only ask that you follow orders and only stick with the assignments that we give you. You're not allowed to make extra cash on the sidelines, what you get from your paycheck should be more than enough to cover for food and any living expenses. You're all residing in college dorms, correct?"

All of them nodded except for Kageyama, who remained still. "I live off campus in an apartment two miles south of my university. Unless you pay three grand a month, it won't be enough." He wasn't convinced to join their group until he found a suitable paycheck to sustain his need of money. He had to admit that his apartment was rather large and spacious, and all of the extra room was pointless considering he lived by himself. However, the money he received in his previous jobs allowed him to live in better quality than most people in Tokyo, especially compared to college dorms. Either they paid him more, or he'd have to downgrade his living space.

"We can't offer that much," Daichi explained, "At least, not until you've earned it. You'll have to make due with what you have for now." He was quick to cut Kageyama off on his argument, having held his hand up to warn the other that he was still talking. "I won't listen to your complaints, regardless of your feelings. You're in no position to talk back, nor are you able to leave without permission. You're part of a team now and what we say goes, understand?"

"We don't have a choice in the matter?" Tsukishima spoke up coolly, his dangerous attitude all but gone in the middle of the scuffle earlier. He was more interested in Daichi's offer, even if it meant he and Yamaguchi couldn't act on their own anymore. A job would allow them to gain proper pay without having to steal from banks, meaning a safer route for the both of them. Working his part-time job and contributing to an organization wouldn't be as bad as robbing the government like they had been doing before.

"Unless we decide to throw you out, no. To be honest, we're more in need of your skills than you are of us," Daichi admitted, sighing. "We've slipped in the rankings and we've lost connections with a lot of markets, including major drug cartels. With your help, we'll be able to make a name for ourselves again. These past few years have done nothing to aid our reputation, in fact, it's only worsened it. Karasuno isn't a laughing stock, but our name has lost its luster and it's affecting our business as well. If something doesn't change now, I'm afraid our reign in Tokyo can't continue."

"And you think hiring a bunch of college students is going to change that?" Tsukishima adjusted his glasses, frowning at his question. He was no amateur in his line of work, but he was doubtful that his presence would make much of a difference to a failing Mafia branch. Karasuno, was it? He never heard of them before.

A nod was his only answer before the shorter man beside Daichi cut in. "There's really no downside to our proposal, so you have no reason to decline our offer. Well, you can't really decline it, anyway, regardless of the situation." His lighthearted smile seemed to contradict his answer, but his expression gave no indication of false pretense.

"Let's say that we do accept and become a member of Karasuno," Hinata chimed, "What's in it for us, besides money?"

"Protection from us, meaning you no longer have to worry about the police. You can also receive new identities when under any sort of threat from members of other organizations or foreign governments. You have the opportunity to gain control of places in Tokyo, including high-end businesses and your name will grow a reputation after some time in Karasuno. You're free to choose how you abuse your power in any way you'd like, as long as it doesn't harm our profits or our members' safety."

The four of them were quiet, each of them looking at the other before turning back to the three standing across from them. In unison, they considered their benefits before they willingly agreed, some more enthusiastic than others. They saw no reason to fight the offer, besides Kageyama, but considering his current unemployment he shouldn't complain. He would take what he could get at the moment, even if the results weren't exactly up to par.

"Suga, would you mind showing them around?" Daichi pulled his cell phone from his pocket before he flipped it open and dialed a number on the keypad. "I need to make a call."

Suga nodded as Daichi turned around and headed for the exit, pressing the phone to his ear just as he closed the door behind him. The four students only waited for their tour, staring expectantly at the two older men.

"Well, I guess we should get started." Suga ushered them along towards the staircase, leading them to the platform. Tanaka stood behind them in line, watching as his friend motioned around the doors. "We use this area as extra storage for our weapons and anything else that we need to sell. Most of them are actually empty at the moment, so we use them as sleeping quarters whenever we spend the night here. You're free to occupy them at any time."

Suga opened the door to one of them, revealing a bland space with a few boxes inside and a crumpled futon in the corner, a small TV unplugged just a few feet from it on the ground. "This is Tanaka's room, since he never bothers to clean it." He ignored said member's whine behind him, moving on to show the rest of the rooms.

"Suga," Hinata spoke up after they had moved back down to the first floor, his orange hair poking out from behind Kageyama's shoulder, "What's in that room in the corner?" He pointed over at the concrete room, gaining Suga's attention.

"Oh," he shifted his eyes from Hinata to the room, frowning slightly in thought, "That's actually our boss's office. No one's allowed to go in except Daichi, Tanaka, and I, unless you have special permission."

"Daichi isn't the boss?" Kageyama's surprise wasn't evident on his face, but his voice showed it clearly. "If he isn't, than who is?"

The entrance to the warehouse was thrust open, Daichi entering quietly as he ended his call, bidding goodbye to whomever was on the other end. He looked up at the group standing across the room, the man running a hand through his hair. "It looks like you guys are going to have to start your jobs today, I'm afraid. I have an errand for you to run."


	4. Chapter 4

The dirt road wasn't a fun experience when there were literally hundreds of rocks just _waiting_ to get run over by worn out tires, and the bumps did nothing to help his seating arrangements. Hinata was currently positioned with his legs folded under him in the back of Tanaka's truck, the student moping at his loss. Kageyama had beaten him to the passenger's seat and he was forced to sit in the back because of the lack of seats. Now the wind was messing up his hair even further and the only thing that separated him from the other two was a small sliding window to his right. If there was any need for communication, it was always an option.

Hinata leaned back against the side of the truck, turning to watch the thinning grass disappear along the side of the road as they finally made it to asphalt. The drive was much smoother now and he adjusted himself to curl his legs in and rest his arms around his knees instead of sit up properly. He wasn't sure if sitting in the trunk was even legal, but he supposed it wouldn't matter anyway. Almost everything he did was against the law, including his new occupation.

The bomber thought back to Daichi's explanation earlier, recalling the name of their branch. Karasuno had brought up several pleasant memories from his first year of high school, ones that Hinata couldn't let go of. Karasuno was the reason why he became so transfixed on creating explosives in his spare time.

"We're almost there!" Hinata turned his head to find that Tanaka had slid the window open, his voice clear even through the wind that whipped around his ears. He only nodded before he felt the truck make a sharp turn, causing the young man to lose his balance momentarily and place his hands down to steady himself.

They were down a neighborhood now, a few decent-sized houses laid out in rows with the same colored fences surrounding their perimeters. He could tell that the residents living there were anything but poor and he found himself wondering if the gang often had jobs in places like this. He imagined city streets with run-down apartments and high crime rate were the kinds of settings they made business in. Then again, no one would suspect a middle-class neighborhood to be the area where criminals made their fortune.

Twelve houses down and one abrupt stop later, they were at their destination. It was a standard two-story home with gray walls and there were a handful of tinted windows on the second floor. A man with black hair and glasses was standing at the front door, and he greeted Tanaka with a wave and a smile when he got out of the truck. "I have the shipment you ordered inside."

The bald man nodded and signaled Kageyama to come with him. "What about me?" Hinata leaned over the edge of the trunk, watching as the two passed through the open gate.

Tanaka spared him an apologetic look, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry, you're gonna have to sit tight. The boxes are probably too heavy for you to carry out. Besides, we need someone to watch the truck while we're gone."

Then Hinata was by himself, the short student deflating back into his original sitting position as he tucked his head down on the knees again. The outside was quiet and he looked around the houses out of curiosity. Some of the neighbors had their windows open and one car had backed out of the driveway and took off down the street. The road was wide and he felt a little exposed when he was alone in a place so hushed.

A gust of wind ruffled his shirt and he tilted his head to the side to avoid the gleam of the sun that bounced off the white truck. His boredom was short-lived, however, when he heard the door to the house open and Tanaka and Kageyama walked out with two large boxes in their arms.

Hinata rushed to open the tail gate, helping them load the shipment. Tanaka had already set the box down and was on his way to the house again, leaving Hinata and Kageyama working together to lift the load inside. The shorter one was having trouble due to his limited movement and Kageyama was pushing the box too quickly for him to handle, causing Hinata to drop his end with a curse and the force made the truck bounce slightly on its tires.

"Be more careful, dumbass," came the insult, Kageyama too apathetic at the moment to see if he smashed his fingers on accident, "You could have broken something in there." He leaned over to pull the box open and inspect the contents, only to find that Tanaka's order was a whole collection of assault rifles. They glistened a smooth black and Kageyama couldn't keep himself from staring longer than he intended.

Hinata looked over at him for a moment, feeling a little disturbed by the sparkle in his eyes and he found something just short of a smile playing on Kageyama's lips. Tanaka was coming out with another box and Hinata moved to fold the flaps and close the box once more, breaking the spell it had cast on Kageyama. He blinked once before he frowned at Hinata, pushing the box further into the truck before the other could ask any questions.

After the loading was finished, Hinata seated himself in-between the cluster of packed guns and waited for his employer to start the truck. "Thanks again for helping," Tanaka had shook hands with the one in glasses, the other only smiling sheepishly from the gratitude. After he went inside, Hinata opened the window and succeeded to poke his head through the gap. "Who was that?"

Tanaka revved the engine and pulled out, turning the steering wheel harshly before speeding down the road like earlier. "Takeda sometimes helps out with the business, but for the most part he keeps his nose out of it. We usually pick up our orders from Ukai's store." Tanaka shifted his eyes towards Hinata for a moment, sensing the silent question, "The blond smoker." He slowed down for a moment when he turned only to press on the gas again. "Takeda sometimes keeps stock with our items when Ukai can't, though it isn't very often. He's actually an unregistered doctor."

"He works illegally?" Kageyama asked.

"Precisely."

They were quiet again, Tanaka keeping focus on the road while Kageyama had his arms crossed against his chest. Hinata rested his chin on the edge of the small window, glad that he could at least keep the wind out of his ears for a bit. He regretted his decision five minutes later when the dirt road once again became their trail. He opted to pull his head out and close the window before he chipped a tooth.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were already hard at work setting up their equipment, their new office on the second floor of the warehouse. It was already supplied with a computer, but Tsukishima swapped it out with his own and cleared the desk to make room for the rest of his things.

Yamaguchi was under the desk on his back, connecting wires into different outlets and hooking up the supplies to get their networks online. "Tsukki, I need the flashlight, please." The ceiling lights were already on, but it didn't reach the corners of darkness that was shadowed and protected by the large desk that was pressed against the wall. His request was answered when the hacker handed him what he needed, the green-haired male giving his thanks before he submerged himself under the desk once more.

Half an hour later, and they had finished setting everything up. Four monitors and a laptop were spaced out evenly on the desk's surface, the screens currently dark from lack of power. An external hard drive was sitting just to the left of the farthest monitor and a headset was tucked safely into the confines of the drawer on the right, along with a handful of USBs and other input devices used for storing and recording.

"Ennoshita," Suga had brushed a few strands of hair from his forehead as he addressed the other, "come help with the load. Tanaka just came back from Takeda's with the newbies."

Ennoshita raised his head from where he was working, leaving his clipboard on top of a nearby box to take care of later. "Sure thing." He joined Suga outside and received the box that Hinata had passed him from the truck. He adjusted the burden slightly and gripped his tighter, walking slowly before he set it down by the rack of guns mounted on the wall opposite of the entrance.

He had gotten back from a job not too long ago, having returned with the money that was expected and he was satisfied that it had gone so smoothly. Jobs like those were what he did best, he wanted nothing to do with anything the rest did out in Tokyo. Threats and guns weren't really his strong suit, anyway.

The sudden screech of tires gained the attention of the members inside, Ennoshita turning around just in time to see Suga and Tanaka run in, the two newest members in tow behind them. "Everyone, get down!"

The order was drowned out by the sound of an explosion, the front entrance to the warehouse demolished by what he could only assume was an RPG. Part of the roof had collapsed and fallen, and Ennoshita was blasted back into the crates by the shock wave. Shouts, footsteps, everything was blurring together at once and he struggled to gain his bearings before he stumbled to his feet, ducking back into the crates to use them as shields for himself as he looked around for any weapon he could use.

Someone joined him, Kageyama was his name, he remembered suddenly. He was covered in debris from the roof and wall of the building, but he looked otherwise unharmed. Kageyama reached for an open crate beside him, pulling out one of the rifles that they had brought in just minutes ago. "Wait-" Ennoshita tried to stop him, but he was already setting it up on top of the crate, the black-haired member pressing his face close to the butt of the gun and taking aim.

Gunshots were fired at them and Ennoshita ducked, feeling the bullets splinter the wood behind him and he silently hoped that they wouldn't break through the other side. One shot next to him, then two, and he could vaguely hear a grunt and thud from one of the men on the other side of the warehouse.

"Dammit!" Kageyama cursed, his eyes squinting at his target. The rifle didn't have a scope attached to it, making it more difficult to see his shots clearly. "Kageyama!" He snapped his head around and found Hinata rushing in, his feet moving fast and his body lurched forward into a dive before he slid behind the crates.

"Where are the others?!" He shouted amid the noise, his body following suit as he pressed his back to the box behind him. He watched bullets spray along the wall of the warehouse, leaving dents and holes in a crooked line. He couldn't shoot carefully in this mess, especially not when a machine gun was being pointed at him.

"I don't know! I think they got stuck under the debris when the explosion happened, I don't see them anywhere!" He breathed heavily, his small frame hunched on the ground, his head next to Kageyama's leg.

Kageyama searched around the area as the other men shouted something to each other, and he suddenly spotted Daichi, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi on the second level of the warehouse, the three of them inside of the office taking cover. Daichi was armed with a gun, but he knew he couldn't use it without blowing his position and getting shot at out in the open.

Kageyama acted, pulling a handgun out from the inside of his jacket and shoving it towards Hinata. The orange-haired member only fumbled with it before steadying it in his hands. "What am I supposed to do with this?!"

"Use it, dumbass!"

"But-" He was cut off by another round of gun fire. "I don't know how to shoot!" He could hear foot steps coming closer to them and one of the men shouted for them to come out, but they remained shielded behind the crates. The others didn't move from the office either. They had to do something and do it fast.

Then Hinata remembered the weight in his pocket and something clicked. "Wait, I have an idea."

Daichi was crouched under the window of what was now Tsukishima's and Yamaguchi's work space, a sub-machine placed between his chest and hand. The other two were next to him, armed with nothing but the view of four suited men on the ground floor shooting holes in everything they could set their sights on.

Daichi had spotted movement from under the rubble of metal sheets and roofing, which he only guessed were Tanaka and Suga. They weren't outnumbered, but they were certainly at a disadvantage. He only had one weapon and he couldn't hit shit from where he was at.

"Daichi," Tsukishima's attention was trained at the crates below, his glasses gleaming from the light overhead. Daichi turned and looked, his eyes widening from disbelief.

"What are those two doing?!"

Ennoshita tried his luck with the rifle, taking what shots he could while Hinata and Kageyama prepared to move. He managed to hit one of the men in the arm and ceasing the rapid-fire bullets, giving them the opening that they needed. "Now!"

Kageyama dashed to the row of guns mounted on the wall, Hinata right behind him as he ripped an assault rifle from the rack and dashed to find cover behind a few nearby barrels. He saw Hinata grab a machine gun, which he hoped would be enough to level the playing field, before he ran back to the crates.

Kageyama inspected his gun, only to find that Ennoshita was telling the truth: all of their guns were already loaded. Hinata and he met eyes, the other waiting for his signal to go. He peeked out from behind the barrel, watching one of the men clutch his arm, blood soaking through his sleeves. The one he shot earlier was dead, that much was certain, and now only three remained a threat. Kageyama waited for a distraction, choosing the moment when the closest man looked away, the sniper giving Hinata the signal to go.

He leaped from behind the crates, his finger clutching the trigger as bullets sprayed from the muzzle and his small body sprinted past Kageyama until he found shelter behind one of the cars by the demolished entrance of the warehouse. His wild shooting had actually hit the man dressed in the pinstriped suit, his frame dropping like dead weight.

"You little shit!" The one in the middle fired his gun, but he only managed to put dents into the car. He yelled, pausing his gunfire to walk in the direction of Hinata, his attention entirely focused on the bomber behind the car. He had forgotten about Kageyama completely.

Taking his chance, Kageyama sprang from his spot and collided with the man, wrestling the machine gun from his hands until it was knocked out during the scuffle. The action had startled the other one and he raised his gun, but he couldn't fire without hitting his guy, too. Kageyama yanked the man to his feet and held him in a choke hold, his back pressed to his chest and adding as a human shield. He had lost his own gun, but he deemed it a fair trade for the position they were in now.

"Go ahead, shoot me," Kageyama baited the man holding the gun up to them, "but you'll only kill him too." His captive clawed at his arm, his mouth open in a gargled plea. He looked back at the other man, watching his body movement for any signs of firing his gun. "You have two options: leave now and live, or shoot us and die." He emphasized the ordeal by tightening his hold on the man, choking him harder. "What will it be?"

The other man only drew back and dropped his gun, the shooter taking off towards his car.

"Hinata!"

He pulled the bomb from his pocket and rushed after the man that had jumped into the driver's seat of the car. He pressed the button on the bomb and threw it, the weapon clinking and bouncing off the back windshield before it exploded, sending pieces of metal flying from the vehicle and engulfing the body in flames.

Kageyama let the man in his arms go when saliva began dripping from his mouth, the shooter coughing and doubling over on the floor to catch his breath. Daichi emerged from the second level room and ran down the stairs, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi following after in a slower pace.

He went towards the pile of debris that cluttered around the broken entrance of the warehouse, his hands digging and pulling at the pieces of metal until an opening was made. Tanaka was sprawled out on his stomach, part of his body pressed against Suga's back and his arm still wrapped around his shoulder. From the looks of it, Tanaka was momentarily knocked out, the bald man regaining his senses when light reached his face. Suga was already beginning to crawl out, his face pained.

"Are you two alright?" Daichi had pulled Tanaka to his feet first, his legs a bit unsteady from the sudden momentum. Suga took the hand offered to him and stood, hissing at the weight put on his left foot. Daichi was quick to find that his ankle had been sprained from the fall and he ordered Suga to sit down and rest.

"Luckily they didn't bother to shoot at us anymore, otherwise we'd be dead." Tanaka's comment hardly made an impact on the group, Kageyama, Hinata, and Ennoshita tending to the only two men left from the attack and Daichi was busy sending Tsukishima and Yamaguchi to take care of Suga's wound at the moment.

One of the men alive was barely holding on, his fingers clutching at the gaping wound in his arm, blood crusting under his fingernails and the rest leaked from the soil fabric of his sleeve. He whimpered occasionally, his mouth mumbling a plead. The other was just recovering from the choke hold before Kageyama had him restrained, his knee pressed against his back and his arm pulled behind him as his head was pushed the floor.

The sound of a car made them all jump, Hinata sending a frantic look to Kageyama hoping that there weren't any more men after them. He spotted a red sports car turn and skid into the dirt, the vehicle stopping just before the mark on the ground, the fire dimming into nothing but faint embers now.

A man emerged, his short stature rivaling Hinata's and his black hair spiked up in a style he hadn't seen before. The bleached tip of his bangs contrasted with his dark suit and red shirt, something that seemed a little too suffocating in the heat outside. His face was furious, his lips scowling and his eyes were locked onto the group in a fit of anger. "What the fuck happened here?!"

He made his way over, his hands in fists as if to contain the urge to swing at anything nearby. He flicked his eyes around the broken pieces of the roof, the blown up parts of the door, and the bleeding man on the ground.

"Boss." Tanaka made a step forward, moving in front to keep him from advancing any further. "We were attacked-" He cut off when the shorter man pushed him, making his way over to Kageyama's captive.

He reached down and yanked the front of the man's suit, causing Kageyama to let go and give the man up to the Boss's fury. He snarled and spit out his order. "Who do you fuckers work for?!" He shook him when he didn't speak, the Boss almost snapping his neck in the process. "Answer me!"

The beaten man only choked out a cry, his eyes blinking open rapidly. He looked both exhausted and frightened, his arms struggling to find purchase on the ground from the awkward and painful position. His mouth moved in a croaked response, his body tensing from the strain. "Aoba Johsai."


	5. Chapter 5

Kuroo's eyes were watching the two figures clash in the open area, arms blocking kicks and legs scuffing the tile beneath them. A red jacket blocked his view momentarily; obscuring the blow Taketora took from Fukunaga's elbow and knocking him back a few steps. The fumble did nothing to slow his movements, the shorter man turning and landing a kick to his stomach with the pivot of his hips.

Fukunaga's body hunched forward and the spar ended with Kuroo's signal. The two broke apart and shook hands, both men out of breath from their fight. Sweat was gathering at Taketora's brows, the combatant running a hand over his face to prevent the droplets from getting into his eyes. Fukunaga was in a similar state of weariness, though he was still recovering from the hit he took in the gut from his opponent's powerful kick.

"Well done." Kuroo's applaud was only his words of praise, his left hand busying itself with the knife that danced over his fingers as he observed their practice match. He was sitting backwards in a nearby chair, playing with a butterfly knife to keep himself busy while he took mental notes of his member's improvements.

With the flick of the wrist, Kuroo caught the knife by the handle and put it in his pocket, standing from the chair and making his way over to a nearby metal door. Without bothering to knock, he slid the door open and announced his presence with a smile. His greeting was drowned out by a scream that was previously muffled by the door, the black-haired man staring down at tattered clothes that hung off of the victim inside the room.

"How's the interrogation coming along?" He addressed the tall man in white, his hand gripping a whip as it paused over his head at the intrusion.

"The Cat keeps sticking to his blood, Kuroo. He's still not talking." His disappointed answer was a direct contrast to his grin, his eyes staring intently at the deep marks that cut lines into his prisoner's back until he couldn't see where they blended together anymore. It was a canvas of red, a few splatters landing as far as Haiba's shirt after a particularly rough whip left the man crying.

"Keep at it, then," Kuroo hummed and stared down at the man on his knees, wondering if he was even capable of talking at this point. His voice must have been hoarse by now, or perhaps Haiba was just lying for the sake of his enjoyment. "Don't go killing him like the last guy, alright?" His teasing earned him a broken sob from the victim, his body shaking from the pain.

"Can I use my scissors?" The question was asked with such earnest, Kuroo thought he was talking to a kid on his birthday. He turned to see the taller man smile, his lips splitting to reach the curve of his cheeks.

"Yeah, I don't see why not."

Kuroo turned around in time to hear the clinking of metal and a faint snip, but he closed the door behind him before he heard the scream of help ripping from the walls. There was nothing he could do now; Haiba was in his own perfect world and he had no right to stop him.

Haiba was the newest member to their gang, but his presence wasn't always welcome among the others. He was fresh and his lack of experience made his acceptance difficult for Taketora and Kenma. An agreement was made to keep Haiba from outside assignments and he was to focus on using what skills he had to gain information.

The Russian-Japanese had no history of a criminal past but his fascination with weapons made him perfect for his job, which allowed him to have his space and let Haiba work at his own pace. It wasn't very often that he got to do what he liked, since attacks were rare on Nekoma. It was his lucky day when they found someone loitering around the warehouse yesterday, giving Haiba the job of beating the information out of the unknown man should he refuse to talk. Now here they were, twelve hours into it and not a single word on who sent the man.

"Kuroo."

Yaku addressed his boss with a neutral tone and expression, his wheat-colored bangs falling just in front of his eyes as he held out a manila folder. He was dressed in beige slacks and a white dress shirt, his outfit professional besides the two buttons unfastened at the collar. "Kenma just faxed us information on our list of loans, so I'd thought you'd might want to take a look before I file it away."

"What about business in Cuba?"

He watched as Yaku flipped the file open and looked under a few pages before turning it around and showing Kuroo. Everything was accounted for, which wasn't very surprising when Kenma was on the job. He took the information off of his friend's hands, tucking it under his arm before turning away and leaving towards the file room.

Just as he kicked the door shut, he heard Shibayama and Inuoka arrive from their last meeting of the week. Inuoka was loud enough to hear through the door, Kuroo noted. He was at least relieved to know that the trip went well, judging from his behavior. Being boss wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, not since Nekomata retired a few years ago after his last run in with the police.

Afterwards, Kuroo took responsibility for the gang after a promise he made with the old man and he became the leader of Nekoma. Even while their organization was, for the most part, peaceful, they were still up to their necks in business deals and cartels that kept the money coming in. They were smart in their line of work, which included staying out of a few nearby gangs and their wars.

Kuroo sighed, settling down into an office chair and placing the open folder on the desk, papers of charts, pictures, and documents were stacked over each other when he searched for the information he told Kenma to specifically bring to him yesterday when he was sent off. He grinned after he found what he wanted, shuffling the papers together and reading Kenma's report with interest.

It seemed like Karasuno had its own problems arising, judging from the picture that was given. Their hideout was a mess: broken pieces of metal and debris were everywhere around the front and a window had been shattered. Kenma never took a photo from the inside, which meant that he probably remained outside and hidden from the gang. It wasn't hard to look into the warehouse anyway, since there was a gaping hole in the front of it. It made him wonder just who decided to pick a fight and if the attack had any connection to their new suspicious friend.

"You sure have your work cut out for you, Sawamura." Kuroo sighed to no one, resting his head in his hand before he set the paper down and closed the folder. "Just what have you gotten yourself into?"

Hinata tapped his pencil on the surface of his desk, waiting for the lecture to end so he could leave. It wasn't as though the information wasn't important or interesting, but he was anxious to get back to the warehouse and help with whatever job they gave him.

His face tensed, his eyes squinting in thought. His mind replayed the scene that had unfolded yesterday and he wondered why Karasuno was targeted by this so-called Aoba Johsai. It was scary how close Hinata was to dying had Kageyama not pushed him in front of himself to avoid the blast. The noise was too deafening, far louder than his own bombs. The moment of vulnerability was losing everyone in the chaos before he spotted Kageyama taking refuge behind the crates.

He killed someone. He remembered his heart racing after taking off and hiding behind the cars, shooting at anything he could before he got himself shot. He killed people before in his bombings, sure, but actually shooting someone and watching them die was different than what he was used to. The thought of murder wasn't nagging in the back of his head, especially when it was kill or be killed. The circumstance called for action and that was justified enough for him.

Hinata was startled out of his musing by the bell and his professor ending his lesson with a reminder for the class reports that were due a week from now. Hinata packed up and skipped the trip to his dorm, deciding to head straight to work with his backpack in tow.

Taking the subway had been far more strenuous than he remembered yesterday and Hinata was having trouble finding a seat to rest at until he finally decided to stand and deal with the ten minute ride and five minute walk to the warehouse in a crowded silence. He wasn't in the best of moods, not since the supposed boss of Karasuno sent him and the rest of the newbies away so everyone else could discuss matters in private. Hinata vaguely wondered what they did with the two other men after they left.

"Hey," Hinata flinched at the hand that was placed on his shoulder, turning around the best he could without bumping into the people around him. He was faced with Kageyama's chest, the bomber looking up slightly to see his face and the bags that ingrained themselves under his eyes.

He relaxed his shoulders after a moment, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Is the guilt getting to you, too?" His gaze flickered over to the woman beside them that was on her phone, not sure how to approach his new ally on the subject. There'd be more sense in him just trying to tear out his throat than make conversation, but he knew better than to cause trouble after what had happened.

"No." Kageyama was staring right at him, his gaze unwavering. He seemed to know exactly what Hinata was referencing and he was kind enough to not go into detail over the subject. Hinata didn't look to be in the mood for insults. "You get used to it after a while." He rubbed his eyes from the sleep that had threatened to take him all morning, his thumbs pressing over his eyelids as he sighed. "I was up all night talking to my landlord about moving. Settling into a dorm is inevitable now, though I don't like the idea very much."

Hinata only grumbled a reply, jerking slightly when the train slowed and stopped at their station. People were unloading from the exit, the two students walking together towards their destination just a few minutes down the dirt path and away from the main road.

The trees along the side of the trail were tall enough to occasionally block out the sun, making the view Hinata had of the warehouse in the distance blur a bit from the glare of light. From what he could tell, the place was trashed, but he could spot a few figures moving around the entrance. At least the others were there before they were.

Their feet scuffled along the dirt and dust, Hinata's foot making contact with a rock as he kicked it for fun. His hands were still buried in his pockets, the bomber chewing on his lip in thought as to what to say to the man next to him. He sighed, deciding his best option was to start polite. "Thanks," Hinata didn't look at Kageyama to see if he was listening or not, "for, y'know, what you did yesterday. Saving me and all. You didn't have to push me out of the way and put yourself in jeopardy."

"I wouldn't have done so if I didn't already know I'd survive." Kageyama's tone was even, ignoring the glare that Hinata sent his way from the answer. "You were too slow to begin with so I had to do something."

"I panicked. That hardly counts for lack of agility."

Kageyama had seen first hand just how fast Hinata had sprinted across the warehouse, shooting a gun no less. Too bad it wasn't accounted for when they saw the trucks roll up while they were unloading. It took Hinata four solid seconds to react before he took off and followed behind him. Late response time could have been all it took for him to drop dead by machine guns like those, or in that case, an RPG.

Kageyama had half a mind to keep the conversation going, if only to keep his mind occupied, but they were nearing the warehouse now and he felt like they'd only cut their talk short before they were sent to work.

His suspicion was correct when they strolled up, finding Tanaka picking up the sheets of metal and tossing them into a pile beside his truck. "Boss wants to see you two in his office." Tanaka wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, Suga coming over to pass him a cloth. "He said it was important so I wouldn't keep him waiting if I were you."

Hinata searched around for Daichi, the dark haired man standing around a few other members and discussing something about a repair bill. He recognized one of the men from yesterday that was hiding behind the crates, walking past him on his way towards his boss's office.

The inside of the warehouse was cleaned up for the most part, the debris and roofing were all cleared out and piled outside, but the gaping hole made the building itself useless for protection from the sun and weather. A couple thousand dollars at least for a roof and wall replacement. The proof of the destruction made his heart race, the bomber licking his lips at the thought of such a devastating power. Sure, it had nearly killed them, but he couldn't help but awe at the conclusion that presented itself just above his head. Maybe if he saved up some money he could buy an RPG of his own someday.

Kageyama opened the door to the office room and held it open for Hinata, the two of them walking inside the confined space and eagerly looking around. On the walls were photos of past and current members of Karasuno, each picture marked with a date at the bottom right corner of the day it was took. Some of them were in black and white, others more modern. The floor was tile and smelled like an expensive cologne Hinata had never smelled before and the unmistakable stench of cigarette smoke.

The desk in front of them was wooden and painted a nice hickory color that was placed in the middle of the room, the chair behind it seating the short man from yesterday with the wild hair. He was dressed in another suit wearing an orange shirt underneath it, his left hand holding a burning cigarette while his other hand was placed on his cheek with his legs crossed. A single gold chain necklace was hung around his neck and gleamed from the light overhead, shining as he shifted in the chair. His expression seemed more relaxed and calm, unlike the angry one he had yesterday.

Hinata's eyes looked over to the woman standing beside him, a beautiful black haired girl with business attire that matched the boss's. Her black suit and pants were pressed and tidy, not a wrinkle to be seen, and her white blouse was decorated with a light pink bow that went with the color of her glasses. She had her hands folded in front of her; her stance straight and poised.

His attention was brought back to the man that cleared his throat, the boss smothering out the light in his cigarette in the ash tray before he clasped his hands together and rested them on the desk. "What the two of you did was very stupid." He was blunt and to the point at least. "You not only put your lives in danger but you put the other members of Karasuno at risk, my friends." He breathed in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth slowly. "I don't know what you two were trying to pull, but I'm not happy."

Neither one decided to speak directly after, Hinata keeping his gaze to the desk and Kageyama remaining fixed on the man's face. A few seconds passed before Kageyama opened his mouth. "Sir-"

"Boss. Call me Boss."

Kageyama hesitated after a moment, thrown off by the interjection. "Er, Boss, we understood the dangers of our decision, but we didn't have much time to think of another way. We did what we deemed best." Kageyama stared at the boss for another second or two, almost challenging his argument. "That's all I have to say."

The short man blinked, looking up at the sniper before he sat back in his chair and placed his elbows on the arm rests. "That's all you have to say?" He mocked, his brown eyes narrowing. "Your explanation is pretty simple, if you ask me. Tell me-" he cut himself off with a brief thought, searching, "-Kageyama, you've dealt with these situations before, haven't you? I'm assuming by your incredible marksmanship, of course."

"Yes."

"Then you would know better-"

"With all due respect, Boss," Hinata spoke up, bravely stepping forth and swallowing his anxiety, "Kageyama was only doing what we had planned. It was my idea, after all." He felt the taller man subtly hit him on the arm, his sight still fixed on the man across from them. It was a warning sign to be quiet.

The attention was on him now, both the woman and the boss were looking at him. It seemed as though his confession had peaked the shorter man's interest somewhat. "Hinata Shouyou. May I call you Shouyou?" He didn't wait for an answer before he continued. "Daichi has spoken a lot about you two, and not just about your performances over the past few months. According to him, you almost had a fight yesterday during your recruitment and it's obvious to me that you don't get along very well. Now, since that information has been presented, what makes you think I'd believe that story when you two were fighting in this very same warehouse less than twenty-four hours ago?"

They didn't have an answer for that one, only fleeting thoughts of the attack and a mindless argument to go with it. It didn't seem plausible, but they were able to overcome their differences for a few moments and work together to save themselves from danger. Hinata blamed it on the adrenaline, and Kageyama on his will to survive.

"Nishinoya." A feminine voice rang out in the room, startling the two younger members and causing them to look up at the woman in the corner, her hand placed on the man's shoulder, "These two have shown that they can work in an environment with each other and have proven themselves able to handle a situation as dire as the one yesterday. While they did risk lives, they also saved them. I find them quite capable of themselves and more, which is why I find your lecture a bit pointless."

Hinata stiffened, flicking his eyes between the two across the desk. How could she stand up to her boss like that? She had even called him by his name like it was nothing, and he didn't seem very offended at all. In fact... Hinata took a closer inspection to find that his boss was a bit flustered with his cheeks blooming a shade of pink, probably from embarrassment. Perhaps the woman had some sort of influence on him?

Nishinoya cleared his throat, shying away from the woman's touch just a bit. He seemed to be thinking about something before he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm letting you off the hook for now, but just know that I don't want to see this kind of sloppy behavior again. I want you to help with whatever your superiors assign you to do, and I want it done well. Understood?"

Hinata and Kageyama agreed simultaneously, the men shuffling out of the office to find either one of their three higher-ups. It took some time because of the other members and their crowded work, but Kageyama was the first to spot Suga from the outside as he sorted out smaller pieces of metal to pass to Daichi. His ankle was wrapped with a compression wrap, the white peeking out from his pant leg and his limp was obvious.

"Suga," Hinata appeared behind Kageyama, the two of them wanting to help at as much as they could, "Is there anything you want us to do?"

He paused lifting the sheet, his brown eyes softening. "Did Nishinoya let you off easy?" He smiled at their nods. "Well, if you boys don't mind helping me lift these heavy pieces out to the truck, that would be wonderful. It's hard to carry these when you're short of one mobile foot."

They all worked in silence, the three passing the sheets to Daichi and Tanaka while a few others transferred to working indoors and sweeping the place up. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were loading and unloading weapons from the crates that were broken from the gun fight, moving them into other boxes and organizing the space.

Hinata kept his focus on his labor at hand, but he still had a bunch of questions he wanted answers to since yesterday. "Hey, Kageyama?" The two were taking a large sheet by themselves at the moment, Suga being ordered to rest his leg by one of the others.

"What?" Kageyama gave him a side glance before tossing the metal into the trunk, both walking back to grab another chunk.

"Do you know what they did to those guys that attacked us? I mean, I haven't heard a word about them since Boss exploded about it." He wiped his hands on his pants and waited for the taller male to grab his end of the load before they lifted together.

The raven-haired hesitated at the question, unsure whether to tell him the truth or not. He wasn't sure himself, but if Karasuno was doing business like all the other branches of the mafia, they probably took out the garbage in a very violent manner. "I'm sure they either killed them or let them go already. The latter isn't a very high chance, though. When you do something like that and you get caught, your enemies will be out looking for blood, that's for certain."

Hinata gave a noise of acknowledgement, his eyes and mind still mostly trained on his job. "I figured as much. With everything that's happened, you would think our boss would have some sort of plan or revenge, or something, right? He just seemed so calm earlier, it really makes me wonder."

"Don't worry," Kageyama shifted the load in his hands before they dumped it into the same spot at the last sheet, "I'm sure he's got something planned. Something big."


	6. Chapter 6

The hospital room never changed, no matter how many times Asahi visited it. It still had the same bleak white walls and the same bed was never moved from its spot by the tinted window. The same wooden table held the same glass vase with the fresh bunch of flowers he brought her every week. The room still smelled like disinfectant that stung his nose each time he entered, even if there weren't any tools out to clean.

The only sound besides his breathing was the steady beat of the heart monitor placed beside the hospital bed, the only proof that the girl lying in that bed was still alive at all. Her body was still, her chest barely moving from shallow inhales that were only possible through the tubes around her nose and hanging over her head. She looked peaceful enough, simply lying there with nothing around to bother her. Her face and body were thin from remaining bedridden all this time.

He sat down on a stool by her bed, his hand reaching out to grasp her smaller one that was limp by her side. Every time he made contact, he still felt the guilt, even after three months with slow signs of recovery. She still couldn't wake up, she couldn't eat or even breathe on her own. He couldn't bring himself to face her family, not after what he had done to their daughter.

Asahi let go of the girl's hand after a few moments, sighing out the tears that had become dry after the first month of his visits. There was nothing he could do except wait, but sometimes waiting was the hardest part of it all. As long as she remained, he would still visit her. He had already made that promise to himself some time ago as a personal amend for the wrong he caused.

He stood up slowly, pushing himself up by his knees before he stood and paused at the sound of the door. He wasn't expecting another visitor so early in the morning, not when her mother and father's visits were in the evenings. He turned, the prediction that he would see an older woman in scrubs coming in to give the girl her daily check-up.

What he found instead was a man of short stature and styled hair, his sharp eyes unusually soft and staring right at him. Asahi's grief was suddenly turned into fatigue, the man's body slouched from mental exertion. He wasn't stable enough to deal with him right now.

Nishinoya didn't say anything at first; he simply kept quiet and walked forward two steps until he was a comfortable distance away from his friend. "Asahi," he addressed his name with nothing short of desperation, "I... We need you to come back."

"Nishinoya, please..."

"Aoba Johsai attacked us earlier this week and it doesn't feel right to just sit back and do nothing. I know how you feel about it, but I wouldn't be asking you now if I didn't mean it." He licked his lips, taking one quick breath and holding his arms at his sides. "That fight with Date-"

"Almost cost the life of an innocent girl," Asahi finished with a bite to his words, "I want no part in Karasuno anymore. I don't want to be a murderer and I don't want any more people to die because of something as stupid as false pride." He narrowed his eyes at his former boss. "If Aoba Johsai wants to pick a fight, so be it; but I won't be supporting your decision to go to war. I've spent a year thinking about my career and it's time I quit for good."

Nishinoya looked taken aback, his mouth pulled down in a scowl that matched Asahi's. His hands clenched into fists and he kept his feet still instead of approaching the man. "You coward." He waited for Asahi to talk back and defend himself, to give him something to argue with, but nothing came. "You're not a person who would just turn your back on us- I know you!" He didn't keep his voice down, having no courtesy to remember that they were in a hospital. "I know you, and I know the real Asahi would stand and fight for what was his. Even if he was putting his life on the line, he would still be standing!"

Nishinoya gave up on his self control long enough to make three long strides towards Asahi, gripping his shirt and pulling him forward until their feet were touching. "So don't you dare tell me that you're backing out on Daichi, or me, or anyone else that you've fought beside because it isn't fair to any of us, dammit! We're family and I'll be damned if I let you just walk away like we're nothing to you! I know you hated fighting and it wasn't right for me to push you, just give me the real reason _why_!" His voice cracked with the last word, tears pricking at the edges of his eyes from all the yelling and anger that had seemed to build up for so long. His body slacked eventually after no direct answer, his hand softening the grip it had on Asahi's shirt before it dropped back down to his side. He looked down at his chest instead, and his glare still remained even after he let go. "Why did you decide to quit on us after so many years?" His question was only a whisper now, Nishinoya not trusting himself with anything louder.

Asahi remained quiet for another minute, the taller staring down at him, though his glower was slipping until there was nothing left but a look of dejection. "If this continues on any longer, there's no telling what could happen. I don't want to see my friends die, Nishinoya." He pulled his own hand away when he attempted to clasp his shoulder, realizing too late that he couldn't comfort him with a simple touch. "I don't want to see you die." He didn't have any more to say, Asahi silently pushing past him and walking towards the door before closing it behind him.

Asahi couldn't sleep that night while his head filled with thoughts of Karasuno and Date. Images flashed behind his eyelids and he would turn to his side and bury his face into his pillow, trying to block out what was poisoning his mind and forcing himself to sleep before he resorted to pills again.

The scene of a busy street was filled with sounds of gunshots coming from every direction, cars suddenly turning and driving away from the war raging in the public area and bystanders screaming for help in buildings and on sidewalks. Men in green suits were hidden behind brick walls as bullets were cutting into cement and flesh by those who were unlucky enough to be caught in the line of sight.

The memory seemed too clear for it to have happened months ago, but Asahi couldn't stop thinking about what he could have done to prevent that fight. Maybe forcing Nishinoya to avoid conflict with one of the Date members before the shootout happened would have been best.

He remembered hiding behind an abandoned car while he held an M16 in his hands. Dachi was to his left but he couldn't see where anyone else was in the mess. He didn't dare stick his body out too far for fear of getting shot.

"Asahi!" It was Dachi, the dark haired man reloading his empty magazine before popping it back in and taking aim at the men in green. "You either shoot or get shot. Get your ass in gear and help before I pop a cap in you myself!" He wasn't angry, the man far too concentrated on the task at hand to give him any looks but his voice said it all.

Asahi straightened up and breathed out slowly, setting his rifle on top of the hood of the car before pulling the trigger. His sight was partially blocked by the angle and the buildings around them, but he managed to catch someone's leg.

He retreated behind the car again when they opened fire, his head barely dodging the bullet that came in his direction before he settled back against the tire. He waited until the shots quieted down on his side before he sat up and fired again without properly seeing his target. He was simply aiming in the general direction of his enemies, but he ceased fire when he got a full view of what he hit.

One of his bullets went into a nearby shop window, the scream of a woman ringing out from the building like an alarm. It seemed to startle everyone in the fight, including the members of Date. They were already down two men and they took that opportunity to scramble out of their hiding spot and take off in their own cars that were damaged from the shootout.

The rest from Karasuno were barely getting to their feet when Suga came to Asahi's side, trying to pull him away so they could leave before the police arrived. He shook him off, Asahi running into the shop to confirm his suspicion and finding the unconscious body of a girl in her mother's arms, the people inside yelling and backing away while the supposed father stood in between Asahi and his family. "Don't come any closer!"

He didn't, the man standing just a few feet away and looking down at the girl who's brown hair and face were blotched in red from her wound. She was bleeding out just behind her left ear, the other side of her face tucked into her mother's chest. She was still and Asahi feared the worst, hoping that someone had called an ambulance that would make it there in time.

People outside were calling for him, Tanaka yelling from the inside of his truck before Dachi came in and pulled him out. He nearly threw him into the back of the truck when Tanaka started the vehicle, all of them leaving the scene of the crime in silence.

He remembered when Nishinoya yelled at him when they got back to the warehouse, the shorter man questioning his actions and storming into his office when he found that their one-sided argument wasn't getting any answers from him. No one spoke to Asahi for the remainder of the day and he eventually went home early and never came back.

He never saw any of the members for that first month until Suga had bothered to break in and question the brown-haired man in secret, but he never pushed him for answers and only offered his condolences before leaving him alone. In the end, he never gave any of them a real answer, but Nishinoya was the most persistent and he couldn't just ignore the thorn in his side forever.

He was glad to have finally faced his ex-boss in person, if only to explain himself, but it didn't seem right. He couldn't just remain a coward forever and pretend that he could fix the past by disregarding his mistakes and sweeping it under the carpet. Buying flowers for a girl who couldn't even be awake to see them was a waste of his time and it wasn't doing anything to ease his conscience.

In a fit of frustration, Asahi turned to his side and reached for the bottle of pills that were placed on his night stand, unscrewing the top and swallowing two pills without water. He knew he gave in again, but he was too weak to handle his thoughts alone in the dark. He kept running from his past, never owning up to his actions and drowning in his self pity.

_"I don't want to see my friends die, Nishinoya." _The words rang in his head as he laid back down, pulling the sheets all the way up to his neck and squeezing his eyes shut. _"Aoba Johsai attacked us..."_

"I don't care." Asahi mumbled to himself, curling his hands into his pillow and shutting out the noises of cars outside his window.

_"I don't want to see you die."_

Hinata waited outside of his dorm room with his phone in his hands, his thumbs texting away at the screen as he leaned against the wall. His backpack was left in his room since he didn't need it after his classes were finished and he didn't need to show up to the warehouse today, so he decided to wait outside in the hall for his new neighbor to show.

Kageyama's name was already inserted in the slot on the door, making his move in official. Hinata was lucky enough to have his old classmate move out just a few weeks before, giving Kageyama the chance to live in his very own dorm room for the rest of his college years.

He heard shuffling from down the hall and he pocketed his phone when Kageyama appeared with two boxes stacked in his arms, his head barely visible behind the load. "Hey," Hinata pushed himself from the wall at the word, moving towards him to help take the bigger box from his hands.

After a moment of struggling, Kageyama finally dug out his key from his pocket and swung the door open, the two of them setting the boxes down on his new bed. Hinata sighed after dropping it, sending Kageyama a look. "What the hell do you have in there? It's heavy."

Kageyama closed the door and locked it, the action making Hinata suspicious. The taller man reached to open his box and he took out the books and clothes that he had stored, as well as several wads of cash that were underneath the rest of his things.

Hinata gawked, leaning his head down to see the amount of money that Kageyama had put in with the rest of his belongings. "Where did you get all that money from? Don't tell me you robbed someone?"

"Idiot," Kageyama stuffed the cash inside one of his jackets, hiding some of the money in the inner breast pocket. "I saved up my pay in case something like this happened. It'll help keep me fed for awhile and I don't have to worry about going broke until I get promoted in Karasuno."

Hinata continued to stare until he crossed his arms and sat down on his bed, sighing. "And here I thought you were going to be completely helpless with no place to stay. Must be nice to be rich and secure all the time."

The other only made a noise of aknowledgment before he folded his clothes on his bed and hid all of his cash away safely. "When you live on the streets long enough, you learn to hate it after a while."

The shorter student paused after his comment, deciding that his question should be saved for another day. _More importantly... _"What's in here?" Hinata opened the flaps on the box he was carrying earlier, peering inside and grasping something cold and metal before he retracted his hands and pushed the box away in surprise. "How did you sneak that in?! You're going to get in so much trouble!"

Kageyama pulled the box towards him and glared, reaching in and pulling out a few pieces of a rifle that had been taken apart, his fingers curling around them protectively. "They don't check you for weapons on campus, dumbass. That's why you can carry your bombs on you, right?" He watched as Hinata flickered his eyes down to his own shirt for a moment before his cheeks colored from being found out. "And don't touch my things without my permission, especially this."

"What, is it your girlfriend, or something?"

"It's my gun and I don't want you touching it!" Kageyama held the parts to his chest and took the rest of the pieces out, spreading them on his bed and putting it back together again. He took special care by locking the places in gently, making sure it wasn't damaged or scratched from the trip to his dorm.

Kageyama saw the curious look Hinata was giving him and he loaded the full magazine in before tucking the gun under his bed for safe keeping. "It's an SR-15, meaning it's a semi-automatic sniper rifle. It was my very first gun given to me and I don't feel comfortable with other people getting their hands on it."

Hinata waved off his explanation and leaned back on his hands, the bomber tempted to lay completely back and stay there until his colleague in crime kicked him out. "So you have a boner for guns, that's cool."

The raven's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to protest. "I don't-"

"Your heart races and you have this rush of excitement that you can't dull until you get what you want, and even then that isn't enough sometimes. Your hands shake and you feel light-headed just thinking about firing that round of ammo or polishing your rifle. You're like a weapon junky, or something like that." Hinata smiled wide and gave him a shrug. "I'm the same way with bombs, okay?"

His confession made Kageyama relax just enough for him to give a shallow nod in agreement, his eyes looking down at his pile of clothes he left on his bed. He turned to look at him when a hand was presented, Hinata seeming nonchalant about it.

"At least we have something in common now. I want to work together with you and the rest of Karasuno, regardless of what happened in the past." His eyes gave no indication of anything false, his tone even and bright with honesty. The purity of his expression was too blinding for Kageyama to ignore, and he hoped that this wasn't just some trap for the student to lure him into a regretful truce. "Let's be friends."


	7. Chapter 7

"Mom?"

Kageyama crawled out of bed from the muffled shout that had awoken him from his sleep, his pajama pant legs pooled around his ankles as he shuffled his feet across the carpet of his bedroom.

His eyes were dry and crusted when he rubbed them, his other hand clutching the side of his sleep shirt as he made his way to his parents' room. The house was cold to him; the air conditioner running overnight made the boy shiver and miss the warmth of his sheets that were washed by his mother just the day before.

The door to the room was already cracked open and Kageyama could see the light that came in from the moon that shined outside, illuminating the small area around the entrance.

He pushed the door open slowly and peered inside, stepping forward until his breath hitched from what he saw. Most of the room was darkened despite the natural glow of the moon, but he could still see the image of his mother's body dangling from the edge of the bed, her blood splattered along the wooden headboard and her arm grazing the floor of the room.

"Tobio."

The boy turned his head at the voice and looked over at his father, just now noticing the third person standing at the foot of the bed, their arm extended out and pointing at his father's head. His body was taller than him by a few inches, his hand gripping the handle of a gun and his finger pressed against the trigger.

"Tobio," his father called again, the man never moving from his spot on the bed, "Tobio, run-!"

A single gun shot was enough to silence him, his body slumping back into the sheets before Kageyama even had a chance to turn and make a break for it. His heart throbbed in his chest and his throat burned with the breath he took, his hands shaking as he looked at his parents' killer.

"You should listen to your father, Tobio."

Kageyama suddenly felt heat surrounding him, smoke filling his nostrils and flames pressing against his back. He couldn't breathe, _he couldn't get out-_

Kageyama's eyes snapped open and he gasped, flicking his gaze around the ceiling of his dorm room before sitting up and reaching for his phone. The ringing had woken him up and he found himself covered in cold sweat from his nightmare. His shirt was clinging to his skin uncomfortably, but he ignored the itching sensation and answered his phone. "Hello?"

_"I'm sorry for calling you so early before your classes, but it's urgent that you come to the warehouse."_

It was Sugawara, the man sounding a bit flustered over the phone. "What's going on?" Kageyama didn't get a reply before the call was cut off, his senior hanging up before he could explain himself. Instead of wondering, the sniper got dressed and slipped on his Karasuno black jacket, a gift that was given to him and the other new members just a few days before.

Reaching under his bed, he pulled out his gun and slipped it into his backpack, locking up his room as he left. He saw Hinata do the same in the hallway, the orange haired student grinning at the unlikely timing.

"Did you get a call from Tanaka, too?"

Kageyama walked beside him as they left the building, the two of them spotting Tsukishima and Yamaguchi just yards in front of them on campus. "Something like that. Do you think there was another attack?"

Hinata seemed focused on the pair ahead of them as well, his eyes staring at the freckled student who's back was to them. "I don't think so, otherwise they wouldn't have called us. Boss shooed us out after that last attack, remember? He wouldn't want us sticking our noses in something like that, even if we are a part of Karasuno."

They followed the hackers into the train station and took the same car, the four of them meeting up as they got off and walked to the warehouse down the dusty road. They each kept to themselves on the way to work, Yamaguchi tapping away on his phone while Tsukishima stuffed his hands in his pockets.

The warehouse was clean of the debris that had scattered throughout the establishment, but the hole was no where near being fixed up like they had planned. A few vehicles were lined up outside, Tanaka's truck loaded with wooden support planks and tools.

The windows were repaired, brand-new glass replacing shards from the attack. The door was open and outside stood Ukai, crates stacked beside him and a calculator in his hand. He typed furiously, his brows scrunched in heavy thought, a cigarette absent between his teeth for once. If he saw the four of them pass, he made no indication of acknowledgment.

Most everyone was gathered near the boss' office, Sugawara and Daichi on either side of a large blueprint, the two of them holding up and motioning near the bottom. "We'll infiltrate near the back, sending-" Daichi ceased his explanation, his dark eyes casting a glance to their arrival. "You're just in time."

Hinata squeezed past Kageyama and Yamaguchi, his mop of hair bouncing with the maneuver. He was told to bring whatever weapons he had on him, but he wasn't expecting an infiltration. Of what, exactly? "What's this about?"

The rest of the men turned towards them, Tanaka's hands shoved in his pockets and fiddling something that was inside of it. His body shifted from the change of direction, his broader form revealing a smaller, more petite one behind him. Hinata didn't remember seeing the person during recruitment, nor during the Aoba Johsai invasion.

"Yachi?"

The person in questioned jumped, her eyes wide as she spotted the source of the voice. Her anxious expression morphed into something closer to surprise, the girl waving. "Shoyo!"

Hinata jogged over and took a hold of her hand, shaking it gently as a type of mock greeting. "I haven't seen you since high school! What are you doing here?" His grin split his face, a shining difference to the mood in the room. He hadn't expected Yachi to be here, at Karasuno, of all places.

She flushed a bit at the contact, her hair different from the last time Hinata had seen her. It was shorter and she lacked her signature side ponytail, but she maintained her youthful radiance and bright eyes. She was taller than him now, something Hinata couldn't help but find a little irritating. "I was hired for a job here. Kiyoko recommended me to your boss just last week."

"We're running through the simulation right now." Nishinoya had his arms folded, his suit missing a tie and his spiked hair flopped down over his forehead. The disheveled look and dark circles under his eyes indicated a lack of sleep. Not all too different from Kageyama, if the bomber was being honest.

Hinata got a good look at the blueprint for the first time, noticing the layout and the size. "Are we robbing a warehouse or something?" Some parts were sketched too roughly, the man unsure where the entry to the rooms even began. It seemed to have two floors, most of the rooms constructed at the north of the building and the floor space cluttered with notes and scribbles indicating rushed handwriting. "Date Co…"

"The Iron Wall," Sugawara cut in, his hand now on Daichi's shoulder for support. His leg still hadn't healed completely, but the man was no longer wincing from the weight brought on his ankle. "We used to be business partners some time ago, sharing profit from the drug cartels in Europe around the Mediterranean. Date turned greedy over our part of the deal; a war broke out soon after."

"They owe us money, that's for sure." Nishinoya pulled a cigarette from the breast pocket of his suit jacket, lighting it before exhaling the cloud of smoke towards Hinata's direction. The small grimace Sugawara made at the action didn't go unnoticed by the boss.

"What about Aoba Johsai? Shouldn't we do something about their earlier attack?" Yamaguchi rubbed the side of his arm in nervous habit, but his eyes were more focused on the crowd standing in front of him. Settling the score with an old enemy was fine, but he didn't see the point of ignoring the other threat.

Daichi folded up the blueprint now that their attention was swayed by the question, rolling the paper up and tucking it under his arm. They were more stressed over _who _had attacked them than _why_. Shady business like this was full of liabilities and dangerous people, but Aoba Johsai had come out of nowhere without a known reason.

He remembered Suga s expression during the interrogation, his pupils blown as he sliced into the attacker s skin, cutting open old wounds and making him bleed over the chair he was tied to. His left hand had fingernails missing, his thumb nail hanging from a thin strand of skin that his friend never bothered to rip off completely. It had taken less than ten hours before the man had died from heavy lacerations, Sugawara never bothering to keep him alive.

If that carelessness was done by any other member, Daichi would have had them killed. It wasn't just the man's seniority that prevented his action. They needed his skill and experience more than anything, but he knew better than to insert himself in his work. Talking to Suga during an episode was walking into an early grave, something he didn't want to gamble regardless of his job.

In the end, they couldn't get anything out of the man. Aoba Johsai's attack was answered with silence.

"We don't know any details pertaining to their actions. Going in blind would be suicide." Daichi ignored the stares from the four, wishing he could do something to erase this whole mess. Everyone seemed to look up to him for leadership, despite Nishinoya's role. Perhaps if he wasn't so busy with out-of-town business, he could actually play the part of boss every once and awhile.

As if Daichi's thoughts provoked him, Nishinoya pulled the cigarette from his mouth and blew another puff out, the tips of his fingers pressing into the teeth marks left on the paper roll. "To answer your question, yes, we should." He pointed to Yachi with his free hand, shifting his eyes from Yamaguchi to meet the woman's. "Which is why we hired her." Another drag interrupted his explanation. "We have yet to have her scout our main source of interest, but let's just say that this was a test run. We need more than just one person getting into a place as dangerous as Johsai."

"Which is where you come in." Tanaka grinned and pulled something out of his pocket, tossing it to Yamaguchi without hesitation. It was a wireless earpiece, tan in color. He watched the man catch it in his hands, inspecting the item with growing interest. Tsukishima didn't have time to blink before one was thrown to him, too. "We gotta put you two to work if you want to make a living here, right?"

Rolling it between his fingers, Tsukishima hummed and carefully touched the clear, fragile antenna that was barely noticeable. "I'm assuming you want us to go with her?" He would be lying if he said he'd rather be in Thermodynamics listening to a lecture right now.

"Not you, just Yamaguchi." Kiyoko took a step out, a thin folder grasped in her hand. She held it out for Yamaguchi to look at, the student carefully taking it from her as his eyes scanned the pictures inside. "We'll need Tsukishima to stay and monitor his movements from here."

"We only need an outline of the interior, nothing too detailed." Tanaka sighed, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately, our ugly mugs are too well known around Shinjuku to do any sort of scouting around the area. We couldn't dig up any information about the building itself, either. Nothing outside of business operations, anyway."

If it was an outline they wanted, Tsukishima would gladly assist. Yamaguchi was usually sent to do these inside jobs anyway, discovering blind spots and creating a map with just the use of his eyes. The information was enough to get them in and out of their target without drawing attention, but this was far more dangerous than some city bank. Security was probably all over the place.

Yamaguchi flipped through the rest of the photos given to him, eyeing the surroundings and the crowds loitered around their target. It was a commercial area and well-populated from the looks of it. "It's a... business building." He had never traveled to Shinjuku himself, but the place seemed pretty ordinary to him. Their warehouse could have attracted more attention if it were out in the open compared to corporate headquarters in the middle of a city.

"Aoba Johsai looks too well-off to be picking a fight with us," Tsukishima muttered, adjusting his glasses. "I'm assuming it's open to the public, to an extent?" He pointed to the business woman exiting the double doors with a briefcase in hand, her figure partly distorted due to the photo.

"Johsai handles its commerce to the unaware on the outside, but deals their traffic to the lowlives on the inside. From what we know, only certain floors are available to the common people to maintain the facade of a white-glove business. It'll be your job to find out what those floors are and which ones to exploit, in a sense."

"Meanwhile, we'll be handling things with Date to throw off any suspicions of espionage. It'll be up to the three of you to make your own decisions. If one of you even so much as thinks you're in trouble, hightail it out of there, understand? We can't afford to have any of you killed on this mission." Daichi's eyes narrowed at the implication.

Kiyoko retrieved the photos from Yamaguchi and neatly arranged them back into the folder, sealing it with her hands again. "I will also be accompanying you to Aoba Johsai's headquarters in the meantime. We will be entering at separate locations to ensure our cover remains as so."

"As for the rest of you," Sugawara smiled and gained the attention of everyone else, motioning back to the rolled up poster paper Daichi had tucked under his arms. "We have a bit of planning to do."

* * *

"Were the vests really necessary?" Yamaguchi adjusted the front of his shirt for a third time, pulling at the hem to stretch it out enough. He felt heavier with it on, like he suddenly gained two kilograms from doing nothing.

_"If you want to live, yes."_ The voice in his ear replied, albeit roughly.

"You're not the one wearing it." The man mumbled under his breath to prevent gaining attention from onlookers by talking to himself. Tsuki was probably sitting in his chair staring at their moving dots on the computer screen, comfortable and vest-free. Realistically speaking, he was probably just as nervous as he was, but he was allowed to spite every now and then.

_"Take a left at the crosswalk, Yamaguchi."_

Yamaguchi followed the directions quietly, wondering if the girls were having any trouble on their end. "Yachi?"

There was a sudden silence and then a meek reply. _"Yes?"_

"Nothing, just wanted to see if you were still there." Kiyoko and Yachi had taken the same train and were headed to Aoba Johsai together while he took a taxi half-way. He supposed having the older woman there with Yachi helped ease his mind a bit, knowing that she was in good hands, but he wondered if keeping them as a pair would throw off Kiyoko's plan of anonymity.

* * *

Yachi bit her lip out of habit, worried for Yamaguchi's safety. It didn't feel fair to go with Kiyoko and have him alone, even with Tsukishima as their eyes. He was closer than they were, but that didn't put her thoughts to rest.

Kiyoko walked ahead by a few paces, her attire fitting in perfectly with the rest of the city's passerbys. Her slacks were pressed and tidy and you couldn't even tell there was a vest under her suit jacket. She looked like she belonged in a place like Johsai.

Her nervous demeanor must have been noticed because she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder from behind. She turned around on her heel, surprised by the action, and came face-to-face with a teenager and his school uniform rather untidy. Just a white shirt and an undone tie around his neck.

"Hey," He approached her with a sly smile and a look in his eye that already made Yachi uncomfortable. "You don't look like you're from around here. You get lost or something?"

Kiyoko had finally stopped walking, attentive to the disruption behind her. She wasn't expecting a stranger to hold them up before they even arrived at the headquarters.

"Um, no. My friend and I were just-"

"Going to see a movie." She interjected, her eyes narrowed as she reached for Yachi's hand. "We don't need directions, thank you." It was better to end this quickly before something else happened. They didn't have time to waste on teenage boys trying to score a phone number.

He didn't seem to take it as a valid answer, apparently, because he immediately answered back with just as much bite. "I was trying to be nice!" Their refusal to reply as they turned the corner only fueled his frustration. "Hey!"

Kiyoko walked faster and made another turn, narrowly avoiding running into a couple on their phones. Shinjuku wasn't nearly as crowded on the back streets as it was where they were headed, but she didn't want to take that chance.

Luck wasn't on their side, however, when she heard the boy return just a few steps behind them. "I'm talking to you, bitch." He began to walk faster until he caught up with Yachi, the boy putting his hand on her shoulder and forcing her to turn around completely. However, his attention was on the other, not her.

Kiyoko's hand had left Yachi's when she turned, the woman meeting the teenager's stare with something akin to murder. If he wanted to make a fool of himself, he had better do it quickly.

_"Kiyoko, is something wrong?" _Tsukishima's voice was in her ear. _"The monitor keeps telling me you've stopped."_

"Nothing to worry about." Her tone was even as she spoke, her eyes still trained on the boy.

It was nothing to worry about up until he grabbed onto her shirt.

A blur of pink caught her sight and suddenly the hand on her blouse was gone, replaced with an empty feeling and a ball of bunched up cloth on her mid-section. The boy had yelled something before he dropped to the ground.

Yachi had gripped his wrist as fast as he had latched onto her, driving her other arm against him until his forearm snapped from the pressure.

She never gave the kid a second to think before Kiyoko delivered a swift kick to his head, effectively knocking him out on the pavement. She looked around for any witnesses before she took Yachi and ran, making their way around the small business buildings before they found an intersection and a crowd of people to blend into.

Kiyoko maneuvered around a man and his dog before she had finally let go of her, the two of them safely away from the scene they had fled from. Before she could say anything, however, Yachi was already apologizing.

"I'm sorry, he just caught up and grabbed you and you had a knife and I panicked, I'm so sorry I almost got us busted!" Her face was red and she was flustered, her form bowing along with her expression of regret.

Standing there in the middle of the sidewalk wasn't going to get them anywhere, Kiyoko bringing her to stand up straight again. Expecting something harsh, she watched Yachi flinch and smiled instead, her fear transforming into confusion. "Don't worry, you did the right thing by stopping him."

The kid would have been dead if she hadn't stepped in.

Kiyoko glanced down at her sleeve before she continued on, Yachi trailing behind her. How she managed to catch the dagger in her cuff was something she wanted to discuss at a later date. Right now they had more pressing matters at hand.

Yachi walked beside her when they approached the entrance, the doors sliding open and allowing them inside. The lobby was decorated with blue and white themed furniture, the posh lounge just a taste of what Aoba Johsai's money could buy.

They were greeted by the receptionist behind the desk, but the women were more focused on the freckled student that stood idle by the hallway, awaiting the arrival of an elevator car.

Yamaguchi had arrived right on time.


End file.
